Electric switch.



H. J. MOREY & F. A. BROGDEN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1912.

1 ,QQQEQQ. Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

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HARRY J. MOREX AND FAY A. IBBOGDEN, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNQBIS TO PASS AND SEYMOUR, INC., OF SOLVAY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

Application filed November 29, 1912. Serial No. 734,175.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,HAnRY J. MOREY and FAY A. 'BROGDEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Syracuse, county of Onondaga, State of New York, have m.- vented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric switches and more particularly to pendent push button switches of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,030,788, granted to us June 25, 1912. It is to be understood, however, that numerous features of the arrangement may be embodied in other types of switches and are not limited to the particular device herein described.

The object of our invention is to improve and simplify the construction of the switch shown in the aforesaid patent, whereby the switch may be more readily assembled and securely mounted in. the casing.

Further objects and the novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the switch as installed showing a part of the casing removed and also showing the insulating body partly broken away to more clearly disclose the construction of the switch. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig; 3, the casing being removed; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of thcinsulating block, the cover of the cavity therein being broken away to .show the switching mechanism within." Fig. 4 is a. bottom plan view of the insulating block.

' F i 5 is a )ers )ective view of the o eratin frame and switch member as assembled to be inserted in the cavity in the insulating block. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the notched insulating supporting bar for the switch member. Fig. 7 is a view of the cut blank from which the switch member is formed. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the two parts shown in Figs. 6 and 7 as they appear when fitted together.

Refe-rring to the drawing, 10 indicates an insulating block of porcelain, fiber, or other suitable insulating material and has a central cavity 11 for the switching mechanism opening into the same at the top. The cavity 11 is provided at, opposite sides with V-shaped recesses 12 and 13 widest at the top and tapering downwardly and at the lower end terminating in notches 14 and 15 of uniform width. The bottom of the block is provided with the openings 16 and 17 to accommodate the buttons 18 and 19 which extend to the exterior of the casing and are connected to the operating member within the cavity so that the switch member may be operated from the exterior of the block and easing. Between the openings 16 and 17 and at the bottom of the recesses 14 and 15 there is a bridge wall 20 which supports the switching mechanism. Across the lower face of the insulating block there is a channel 21 and on opposite sides of the channel there are screw holes 22 and 23 to receive screws 24 and 25 for attaching the block 10 to the lower half 26 of the inclosing casing. The lower half of the inclosing casing has a channel 27 corresponding to the channel 21 and openings 28 corresponding with openings 16 and 17 through which the buttons.

18 and 19 pass. The upper half 29 of the ing 30 to admit the circuit Wires 31, 32 and at their meeting edges the halves are provided with enlarged portions bent to form screw threads, by means of which the two halves are detachably connected toget-her, the upper half 29 fitting over the lower half 26. The bottom half 26 has no insulating lining as the conducting parts are all suitably insulated therefrom by the block 10. The conductors 31 and 32 are connected to binding posts 33 and 34 on the top of the insulating block 10 and to suitablyinsulate these from the upper half 29 the latter is provided with an insulating lining 35 which extends only part way down from the bushing 36, the lower edge thereof being arranged to rest on a shoulder 37 on the insulating block, thus completely insulating the conducting parts from the inclosing shell and at the same time permitting easy access to the block for connecting the circuit con- 'ductors to the binding posts thereon. The

, screws or binding posts 33 and 34 and are secured to the insulating block 10 by means of pairs of countersunk through screws and 41. The terminal plates 38 and 39 have right angled projections 42 and which extend into the tapering portions of the recesses 12 and 13 and constitute switch contacts for'the parallel members it and 4.5 of the U-shapcd switch member. The switch member is made from a single blank of metal stamped with the openings or slots 46 and 47, as shown in Fig. 7, and bent along the dotted line so that the parts ll and 4.5 shall be parallel as shown in Fig. 5 and the part LS-between the slots disposed at right angles to the parts l-l and 4.3. The parts in which the slots 46 and :7 are out are there fore disposed at an angle to the adjoining portions of the switch member.

The bridge 20 has a slot l cut across the same to receive the U-shaped perforated car 50 of a supporting plate for the hollow trapezoidal operating member 51. The supporting plate has flanges and 53 on opposite sides of the ear 50, which flanges have threaded openings therein to receive the ends of the screws 2% and 25, whereby the switching mechanism is secured to the block and whereby all of the parts are secured together. The frame 51 is trapezoidal in shape having the parallel members 5i and 55, the latter having a slot 56 therein for a purpose to be described. The nonparallel members 57 and 58 of the rockable frame connect the parallel members 5 and 55, the lower member 54: being the longer of the parallel members The buttons '18 and 19 are loosely connected to the opposite ends of the member 54 by suitable means as shown in Fig. 5. The lower member 54 of the frame has a perforated car 59 below the center thereof to receive a pintle 60. The car 59 extends between the spaced members of the car 50 and the perforations therein register so that the pintle (30 extending through the perforations forms a pivot for the operating frame 51.

On the edge opposite the car 59 the lower member 54 ot-thc operating frame has a transverse bearing 61 formed thereon. The bearing 61 is rigidly secured to the frame and moves therewith. The bearing plate 61 is notched intermediate its ends and the parts left are curved upwardly to form a troughdike support for the insulating cross bar 62 which carries the switch mel'nbcr and insulates the latter from the operating parts. The lower edge of the cross bar (32 is round ed as shown and is notched intermediate its ends as at 63 and li-l, leaving projections 35, 66, 67 and G8. The 'n'ojections or feet 65 and (36 extend tl'u'ough the slots 46 and l7 and engage in the trough-like portion of the bearing plate i] on the rorkable frame. The portion 48 of the switch member lits against the upper edge ol the notch 63 and the edges 69 and of the slots in the switch member rest on the inclined. edges of the projections 67 and 68 of the insulating bar 62. The switch member is thereby firmly held by the insulating block 62 and by means of the latter is fulcrumed in the rockable bearing 61 on the frame 51. The parallel members i t and 45'work in the tapering recesses 12 and 13, the edges of which limit the extent of the swing of the switch menr her. The bearing or fulcrum 61 and the supporting and insulating bar 62 are sub stantially the same length and of a length sullicient to extend into the portions 14 and 15 of the recesses in the side walls of the cavity so that the movement may be limited by the edges of said recesses. The rockable frame is limited in its swinging movement by the ends of the cavity against which the non-parallel members strike when the frame is oscillated by the buttons 18 and 19.

In order to snap the switch member into and out of contact with the switch contacts 4-2 and 43 we provide a pin, the shank 70 of which extends loosely through the opening or slot 56 in the upper parallel member 55 of the frame 51. The head 71 of said pin is bent in transverse section to form a curved bearing, which fits into the slot 6% and straddles the insulating bar 62. A compression spring 72 is interposed between the head 71 and the parallel member of the frame which tends to force the insulating l plate 62 out of alinement with the shank 70 whenever the frame 51 is rocked by the buttons 18 or 19. The slot-like opening '56 permits the shank 70 of the pin to have a certain freedom of movement and as the frame 51 is rocked the shank moves from end to end of the slot. The plate 62 is given a bodily movement which is partly a movement of translation and partly a rotary movement. In other words, the plate 62 is moved bodily by the operating member 51, which latter member is capable of being manually actuated in either of two directions to operate the switch member to open or close the switch as the case may be. The plate 62 is thus positively movable in two directions, one to close the circuit and in the opposite direction to open the circuit, or vice versa. The pin 70 and thespring 72 surrounding it exert a biasing force on the plate 62 and through it on the switch member to impart a snap action to the switch member as the said plate is moved bodily.

A plate 73 of insulating material, such as libcr, is secured over the mouth of the cavity by means of nuts on the ends of the screws 40 and 41 so as to more completely inclosc the switching mechanism and operating parts.

The parts shown in Fig. 5 are readily assemblrd before being inserted into the cavity, the complete o rating and switching mechanism being shown in perspective in Fig. 5, and by means of screws 24 and 25 engaging the openings in the flanges 52 and 53 the parts are readily secured in the cavity.

The operation of the switch will be clear from the foregoing description. When the operating frame 51 is swung to the right by pressing the button 18 or pulling on the button 19 the switch member will swing to the left, as indicated in Figl 2, and the circuit will be closed. When the operating frame is swung from'the right the springs 72 will be compressed until the axes of the pin and switch member are substantially parallel and when the frame passes that point toward the left the spring is free to expand, whereupon 1t snaps the switch member to the right, producing a spring or quick break. It will be noticed that the fulcrum or support 61 rocks so that the switch members loosely supported thereon moves bodily with the frame at its lower end and is snapped in the opposite direction at its upper end and consequently is rocked about an imaginary pivot intermediate its ends. This construction affords a greater leverage and also simplifies the operation of the device.

In the drawing the preferredembodiment of our invention is disclosed. However, it is to be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the-exact details as shown and de scribed as numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. f

Having described our invention what We claim is:

1. In an electric switch, the combination of switch contacts, a hollow rockable frame, a switch member movably mounted on said frame, said switchmember having a part eX- tending through the hollow portion of the frame and also having parts adapted to engage said switch contacts, a spring adapted to throw the switch member when said frame is rocked and also adapted to hold the switch in either of the positions into which it is thrown, and two push buttons connected to said frame for rocking it alternately in opposite directions.

2. In an electric switch, the combination of switch contacts, a vpivotally supported frame, .an insulating element supported on the frame, a switch member carried by said element and insulated by the latter from said frame, means for rocking said frame on its pivot, and a spring actuated device engaging said insulating element and frame and arranged to impart a snapping movement to the switch member to make or break the circuit at the switch contacts whenthe frame is rocked.

3. In an electric switch, the combination of a U-shaped switch member, a rockable frame, a notched insulating cross-bar supported on the frame and supportmg the switch member, aspring-press'ed pin cooperating with the notched cross-bar, and means for rocking the frame to oscillate the cross-bar carrying the switch member, whereby the springpressed pin is alternately released to operate the switch member.

4. In a two-button electric switch, the combination of switch contacts, a pivotally mounted frame, a trough-like support rig-' idly connected to the frame, a switch member, a notched insulating bar supporting the switch member and having one edge resting -in the trough-like support, a pin straddlingthe inshlating bar at one end and extending through an opening in the frame at the opposite end, a spring surrounding the pin and tending to force the insulating bar out of alinement therewith, and means for rocking the frame to oscillate the switch member and make and breaklthe circuit at the switch contacts.

5. In an electric switch, the combinationof a pivoted operatlng member having a hollow part within its margin, aninsulating member supported in the hollow part in the operating member, a switch member carried by said insulating member, a snapping spring interposed between said insulating member and operating member and adapted to thrlow the switch independently of the operating member when said operating member is rocked, and means for rocking said operating member on its pivot.

6. Inan electric switch, the combination of a pivoted operating member having a hollow part within its margin forming an opening extending transversely therethrough I from face to face, an insulating plate extending through and supported on the edge of the opening formed by the hollow part in said operating member, a U-shaped switch member carried by said insulating plate and having a, part extending-through sald opening in said operating member, a .pin engaging said operating member and insulating;

8. In an electrical switch, thecombination of a switch member comprising a U-shaped member consisting of a singlepiece of conducting material and having openings extending therethrough adjacent the part corresponding to the bend in the U, and an insulating supporting element therefor notched to provide projections which extend through the openings and provide a fulcrum for the switch member, said element having parts cooperating with the edges of the openings to support the switch member thereon.

9.111 a switch, the combination of an operating element, means for supporting said operating element, a switch member associated with said operating element and comprising a U-shaped member formed from conducting material and provided with slots on the opposite sides adjacent the part corresptmding to the bend of the U and an insulating supporting element fulcrumed on the operating element and notched to form projections which extend through. the slots and engage the operating element, said insulating element having parts cooperating with the slots to maintain the U-shaped switch member in position thereon, and

, means engaging the insulating element and adapted to move the latter and the switch member connected therewith when the operating element is actuated.

10. In an electric switch, the combination of a switch member, and means for oscillating said member, comprising a rockable insulating plate and a pin having a head straddling a part of said plate 11. In an electric switch, the combination of a U-shaped switch member, an operating,

member, means whereby said operating member may be manually actuated in either of two directions to move said switch member to open or closed position, and means whereby said switch member is oscillated when said operating member is actuated, said last mentioned means comprising a plate positively'movable in two different directions by said operating member, a pin having a part engaging said plate, and a spring associated with said pin to impart a snap action to the switch member as said plate is moved.

In testimony whereof we afiix our sig11atures in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY J. MOREY. FAY A. BROGDEN. Vitnesses B. E. SALISBURY, Gnonon C. RowLnY. 

